Evaluation of Total Cyanide and Proximate Analysis of Garri Produced from Cassava Manihot esculeuta Crantz Variety from Five Local Government Area in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

Cassava is traditionally processed, fermented and converted to garri and has become a major source of daily carbohydrate intake in Nigeria and other African countries. The cyanide content and proximate composition of garri produced from cassava Manihot esculeuta Crantz variety collected from five local government areas of Ekiti state were studied. The results showed that cyanide content in all the samples ranges between 1.02 ± 0.01to 1.34 ± 0.02 mg/kg except for Gbonyin LGA with 0.09mg/kg, the low cyanide level was attributed to fermentation of at least three days before roasting. The outcome of proximate analysis revealed that moisture contents ranged 9.78 ± 0.01 to 10.76 ± 0.02 %, ash contents ranged 0.09 ± 0.01 to 0.18 ± 0.01 %, fat contents from 0.87 ± 0.01 to 1.23 ± 0.01 %, crude fibre from 1.21 ± 0.01 to 1.42 ± 0.01 %, crude protein from 0.28 ± 0.01 to 1.81 ± 0.01 % and carbohydrate contents ranged from 84.71 ± 0.02 to 87.67 ± 0.01 % are within the recommended levels. The low moisture content and the moderate level of other compositions make the garri products suitable nutritional food items.